Gods and Generals | | Cast : | Jeff Daniels, Stephen Lang, Robert Duvall | | Director : | Ronald F. Maxwell | | Studio : | Warner Home Video | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen, Dolby | | Released Date : | February 21, 2003 | | DVD Released Date : | February 08, 2005 | | Language : | English (Dubbed), French (Subtitled), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), English (Original Language) | | Audience Rating : | PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | August 23, 2005 | | Summary | They should release "war movie" cut and admit failed effort | Content
 | First, if you are someone interested in the Civil War you probably like this movie far more than the average viewer. If you are from the South and follow the Civil War, you REALLY like this movie as it shows all the good and little of the bad of the Confederacy and their view of slavery.
But, let's face reality, this is a long, long film, that tried to be too ambitious and too broad in terms of the audience it was trying to reach. I suspect given the $50mm+ budget, that the studio wanted the scenes with Chamberlain's wife, Jackson at Christmas, Jackson with his servant, the musical interlude, and the cute little kids to entice women to see a movie featuring civil war battles. To me, by trying to have a little something for everyone, they made it less enjoyable for their true audience - guys who like war movies and long for a decent Civil War movie.
Maybe they'll try and recoup their investment in this film by packaging it in chronoligical order with Gettysburg as a 2 film set. (Notwithstanding the issues of cast changes.) If they do, leave only those scenes directly related to what this should have been - a war movie. Maybe then, it'll be something more than a mediocre film that runs at least 75 minutes too long.
|
| Rating | | | Date | August 17, 2005 | | Summary | Ammendment to my earlier review | Content
| I said in 2003 that the Score was terribly disappointing. I wish to ammend that---It grows on one. Try not to go into it with a "Gettysburg" mindset. |
| Rating | | | Date | July 31, 2005 | | Summary | Gods and Generals Too Long - Wish it had Better Editing | Content
| This DVD is a faithful screen adaptation of the book "Gods and Generals", by Jeffrey Shaara. It deals with the very beginnings of the American Civil War and progresses through the battle of Chancellorsville. The book (and movie) are part of a three-part trilogy on the Civil War. The movie is produced by Ted Turner, who makes a small cameo appearance as a southern soldier. This movie is a prequel to the 1993 hit "Gettysburg".
The movie (like the book) centers on the major generals of the war, Robert E. Lee (played to a "tee" by Robert Duvall), General "Stonewall" Jackson (excellently played by Stephan Lang), and the union's Lt. Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (played by the very capable Jeff Daniels). Of course, the leadership on each side believes in and prays to a God that they hope will deliver them victorious, thus the title "Gods and Generals".
While the movie has sweeping visuals and equisitely accurate battle sceens, the movie is simply too long at nearly 4 hours in length. Proper editing would have resulted in a more enjoyable film. Too much time is allowed for elegant proseic speeches by the generals, generally to their wives. The movie really bogs down in these sections and one is tempted to fast forward past them to the action that lies ahead.
The actors do a remarkable job; all are believable and truly become the character(s) they portray. The battle scenes are the film's strength and are an eye-opener for anyone not familiar with the bloody brutality of the Civil War, our nation's bloodiest conflict. The courage of the soldiers facing an 800-yard march across an open field being pounded by cannon fire is something to behold. The historical accuracy of the film is also a draw, as it teaches Civil War history.
I believe the average viewer will tire of this movie due to its excessive length. However, the Civil War buff will revel in the great detail and the effort to make the film historically accurate. The film is appropriate for all but the youngest members of the family, as some of the killing is graphic. I doubt that children will be able to watch the film to its conclusion, as they will lose interest in the non-battle scenes.
With proper editing, this could have been a 4 or 5-star movie. The best I can give it is a 3-star rating due to its length.
Jim Konedog Koenig |
| Rating | | | Date | July 24, 2005 | | Summary | A Good Film mostly about General Stonewall Jackson | Content
| This movie would have rated higher with me, had it been brough out first. It actually pre dates Gettysburg. Based mostly on the life of General Jackson. It is still a good show and resides permanently in my collection. There was to be a third show in the series, but I still have heard no word on this. |
| Rating | | | Date | July 23, 2005 | | Summary | Good, not as good as Gettysburg, but good | Content
| *Some Minor Spoilers*
In a way, this film plays out like a greek epic, a good lens to approach the Civil War dramatically. There is even the metaphysical element in the faith of both sides, manifested especially in Jackson, and events like the aurora borealis appearing at night (which really happened).
The center of this movie is Stonewall Jackson, whose faith and committment to his home make him a fanscinating character. As a evangelical myself, I have to say I like this portrayal of Jackson better than others I have seen. Jackson's devotion to God, family, and Virginia and his beliefs are uncomprimisingly presenting, but so are the less comfortable aspects: such as his ruthlessness in battle and his naive perspective on slavery. It's an honest, nonjudgmental portrayal that let's the audience come to it's own conclusions.
With regards to slavery, one may well ask: "Where are the auctions? The floggings?" These aspects and stories of the South have been (and should be) told in other media, but the focus here is different. Here we have honest, God fearing people like General Lee, who was against slavery, faced with the paradox of defending their freedom, which will mean saving a system which deprives that freedom from others. We see Jim Lewis (who really was the slave cook of Jackson, on lease to the General), who sees Virginia as his home and worthy of being defended from outsiders as much as the Jackson, yet in his prayer before the onlooking General wonders aloud how good Christian people could allow slavery to continue. We see another slave woman, with a family, who has grown up with a white family (a true luxury for many slaves, it wasn't uncommon for families to be broken up when one family member, be it a husband or wife or child, was sold), and clearly shows concerns for their safety in light of the incoming federal invasion. Yet, when she's left with federal troops who use her house as a hospital, she clearly desires the north to win, for her and her children to be free. To me this highlights the contradiction of slavery in a supposedly free, supposedly Christian society.
The film has several poigant moments, from the charge hopeless charge of the Northern Irish Brigade against the Georgia Irish Brigade, Chamberlain's speech as he notes the parallel between them and Caesar crossing the Rubicon, to the exchange between Billy Yank and Jonny Reb. The flaws, as I see it, are that the film gets a bit misdirected. Is it just about Jackson, with a few token spots for Chamberlain, or are was the perspective supposed to be evenly spaced between North and South? It ends up being neither. Also, it's clear from watching Gettysburg that the director wanted to pull a parallel between the Union's hopeless charge at Fredericksburg and Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg, but to me it just didn't pull off.
But I think it's a good movie, and well worth the four hours time spent, for both the Civil War buff and the causal movie fan. |
|
